Respiratory Question for the Week of October 2, 2017

Question:

How should vent management in the ED be billed?

Answer:

Respiratory therapy department staff members are encouraged to work with the emergency department to determine how the associated costs for ventilator management will be captured. As a best practice, the cost for respiratory therapy time and supplies should be calculated into the facility charge submitted for the acuity level (evaluation and management) that will be billed for the episode of care provided in the emergency department.

Ventilation management in the hospital is defined as a daily service. The charge generated for CPT^® 94002 should account for all related cost including ventilator set-up, routine supplies and therapist time. Charges for subsequent days (94003) should include routine supplies including circuit changes and therapist time.

CPT® is a registered trademark of the American Medical Association.